A cover structure of a composite material heat curing device

Abstract

The application provides a cover structure of a composite material heat curing device, which comprises a side wall, an upper cover arranged at the top of the side wall, a first rubber plate arranged at the bottom of the side wall, and a closed cavity formed by the upper cover, the side wall and the first rubber plate. A plurality of shunt pipes are arranged in the cavity and connected with air outlets of a hot air machine. The shunt pipes are provided with a plurality of air outlets in communication with the cavity. An air outlet pipe is in communication with the cavity at one end and with the outside at the other end. The cover structure cooperates with a box body of the heat curing device to play the roles of heating and pressing the preform as a negative mold. Compared with the forming mode of rigid negative mold and positive mold cooperation or the mode of vacuum bag film pressing, the cover structure uses a flexible rubber plate as the negative mold, the rubber plate is better in the effect of sticking to the mold after being heated and expanded to press the preform, the preform is more uniform in stress during the curing process, and the internal quality of the product is better. The rubber plate is more versatile in pressing, and the same rubber plate is applicable to the forming of products of different sizes without the need of manufacturing negative molds of different sizes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of equipment for composite material preparation, and specifically relates to the cover structure of a composite material thermosetting device. Background Technology

[0002] The spars, ribs, and other structures on an aircraft wing are the main load-bearing structures of the wing. Using fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites can greatly reduce the structural weight while ensuring product strength. Therefore, fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites have a promising application prospect in aerospace materials and other fields.

[0003] The preparation process of fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites generally includes steps such as preform preparation and preform curing. That is, the resin matrix is ​​impregnated with fiber reinforcing material to form a preform of reinforcing fiber and resin matrix. Then the preform is placed in a mold, and after the mold is closed, the mold is placed in a thermosetting device and cured under high temperature and high pressure.

[0004] Currently, the main device for curing composite materials is an oven. The preform is placed in a mold, and after mold closing, it is placed in the oven for curing. For example, Chinese patent document CN 209096064 U discloses a composite material curing device, including an insulated box, an electric heating element, a vibration table, a microwave generator, a microwave cavity, a microwave local shielding element, and a vacuum pumping component. The preform after mold closing is placed in the insulated box for curing. However, for large-sized, thin-thick structures such as wing ribs, during the thermosetting process after the male and female molds are combined, the product continuously shrinks, resulting in poor mold adhesion and poor molding effect. Furthermore, the mold-closing method of the male and female molds has poor versatility; to prepare products of different sizes, multiple matching molds must be prepared first. Using a vacuum bag to cover the surface of the preform and then using a male mold for curing improves the mold adhesion effect, but the product experiences uneven stress and poor internal quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem solved by this invention is to provide a cover structure for a composite material thermosetting device, which cooperates with the box body of the thermosetting device and plays the role of heating and acting as a female mold to apply pressure to the preform. A flexible rubber sheet is used as the female mold. After the rubber sheet expands due to heat, it applies pressure to the preform. Compared with the molding method of using a rigid female mold and male mold, or the method of vacuum bag film pressure, the molding effect produced by the pressure of the flexible rubber sheet is better, the preform is subjected to more uniform stress during the curing process, and the internal quality of the product is better. Moreover, the pressure application of the rubber sheet is more versatile. The same rubber sheet can be used to mold products of different sizes, without the need to make different female molds according to the product size.

[0006] To address the above problems, the present invention provides a cover structure for a composite material thermosetting device, comprising:

[0007] Sidewall;

[0008] The top cover is located at the top of the side wall;

[0009] A first rubber sheet is disposed at the bottom of the side wall, and the top cover, the side wall, and the first rubber sheet form a closed cavity;

[0010] Multiple diversion pipes are disposed in the cavity. The diversion pipes are used to connect to the air outlet of the hot air blower. The diversion pipes are provided with multiple air outlets, and the air outlets are in communication with the cavity.

[0011] An air outlet duct, one end of which is connected to the cavity and the other end of which is connected to the outside.

[0012] Preferably, the sidewall comprises:

[0013] Ring-shaped metal profile;

[0014] A first annular rubber is disposed on the top of the annular metal profile and wraps around the upper part of the annular metal profile;

[0015] The second annular rubber is disposed at the bottom of the annular metal profile and wraps around the lower part of the annular metal profile.

[0016] Preferably, the upper sidewall of the annular metal profile is provided with a plurality of first annular protruding teeth, and the inner sidewall of the first annular rubber is provided with a plurality of first annular concave teeth, the positions of the first annular concave teeth and the first annular protruding teeth are corresponding, and the first annular concave teeth are embedded in the first annular protruding teeth.

[0017] The lower sidewall of the annular metal profile is provided with a plurality of second annular protruding teeth, and the inner sidewall of the second annular rubber is provided with a plurality of second annular concave teeth, the second annular concave teeth being positioned corresponding to the second annular protruding teeth, and the second annular concave teeth being embedded in the second annular protruding teeth.

[0018] Preferably, the bottom of the annular metal profile is provided with an annular groove, and an annular airbag is provided in the annular groove. After the annular airbag expands, it abuts against the second annular rubber.

[0019] Preferably, the cover structure further includes a buffer chamber located on the outer side of the side wall; the side wall has multiple through holes, one side of which is connected to the diversion pipe and the other side is connected to the buffer chamber, and the buffer chamber is connected to the air outlet of the hot air blower.

[0020] Preferably, one end of the diverter is connected to the through hole, and the other end is closed; multiple diverters are arranged in parallel, and in a direction perpendicular to the length of the diverter, multiple diverters are arranged at equal intervals.

[0021] Preferably, the plurality of air outlets are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the diverter.

[0022] Preferably, the cover structure further includes:

[0023] A second rubber sheet is disposed above the upper cover;

[0024] The outer cover fits over the second rubber plate.

[0025] Preferably, the top cover includes a left sub-cover, a plurality of middle sub-covers, and a right sub-cover arranged sequentially along the length of the cover structure. The lower surface of the left sub-cover connected to the middle sub-cover has a first stepped surface, the upper surface of the right sub-cover connected to the middle sub-cover has a second stepped surface, the upper surface of one side of the middle sub-cover has a third stepped surface, and the lower surface of the other side of the middle sub-cover has a fourth stepped surface. The corresponding stepped surfaces on adjacent left sub-covers, middle sub-covers, and right sub-covers form an overlapping structure.

[0026] Preferably, it also includes an air inlet pipe, one end of which is connected to the buffer chamber, and the other end of which is adapted to be movably connected to the air outlet pipe of the hot air blower.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0028] The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device of the present invention serves as a heating element in the thermosetting device and also acts as a female mold structure for preform molding, applying pressure to the preform. The flexible rubber sheet is the female mold. After the rubber sheet expands due to heat, it applies pressure to the preform. Compared with the molding method of rigid female and male molds or vacuum bag film pressure, the molding effect produced by the pressure of the flexible rubber sheet is better, the preform is subjected to more uniform stress during the curing process, and the internal quality of the product is better. Moreover, the pressure application of the rubber sheet is more versatile. The same rubber sheet can be used to mold products of different sizes without the need to make different female molds according to the product size.

[0029] The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device of the present invention has a side wall composed of annular metal profiles and annular rubber. The first and second annular rubbers are flexible and deformable materials, which can be pressed more closely onto the first rubber plate under heating conditions, making the first rubber plate seal more tightly with the edge of the box below, and improving the vacuuming effect. At the same time, the first rubber plate exerts better pressure on the preform. The annular rubber and the annular metal profile are connected by annular protrusions and annular grooves, which enhances stability. An annular airbag is provided at the bottom of the annular metal profile. After expansion, the annular airbag presses against the annular rubber, improving the tightness of the seal between the first rubber plate and the edge of the box below. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device described in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cover of the composite material thermosetting device according to an embodiment of the present invention after the cover is opened;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the neutron cover structure in the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device described in this embodiment of the invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the left sub-cover in the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device described in this embodiment of the invention;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution pipe in the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal section of the side wall in the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device described in the embodiment of the present invention, located within the overall composite material thermosetting device.

[0038] Wherein: 1-Side wall; 2-Top cover; 3-First rubber plate; 4-Cavity; 5-Diverter pipe; 6-Air outlet; 7-Air outlet pipe; 8-Box body; 9-Buffer chamber; 10-Through hole; 11-Annular metal profile; 12-First annular rubber; 13-Second annular rubber; 14-First annular convex tooth; 15-First annular concave tooth; 16-Second annular convex tooth; 17-Second annular concave tooth; 18-Annular groove; 19-Annular airbag; 21-Left sub-cover; 22-Middle sub-cover; 23-Right sub-cover; 24-Second rubber plate; 25-Outer cover; 26-First step surface; 27-Second step surface; 28-Third step surface; 29-Fourth step surface; 30-Air inlet pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example 1

[0040] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the cover structure of a composite material thermosetting device according to this embodiment includes:

[0041] Side wall 1;

[0042] The top cover 2 is located on the top of the side wall 1;

[0043] The first rubber plate 3 is located at the bottom of the side wall 1, and the top cover 2, the side wall 1, and the first rubber plate 3 form a closed cavity 4.

[0044] Multiple branch pipes 5 are disposed in the cavity 4. The branch pipes 5 are used to connect to the air outlet of the hot air blower, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the diversion pipe 5 is provided with multiple air outlets 6, and the air outlets 6 are connected to the cavity 4.

[0045] Air outlet 7, one end of which is connected to cavity 4, and the other end is connected to the outside.

[0046] The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device in this embodiment of the invention, such as... Figure 8As shown, the box 8 of the thermosetting device can be used with the product molding machine. The male mold is placed in the box 8, and then the preform is laid in the male mold. The cover structure is closed, and hot air is generated by the hot air blower. The hot air is distributed through multiple diversion pipes and discharged into the cavity 4 of the cover structure through the air outlet. Under the heating of the hot air, the volume of the first rubber plate 3 expands and presses against the upper surface of the preform in the male mold. As it is heated, it continuously pressurizes and heats the preform. At the same time, the vacuum device of the thermosetting device evacuates the inner cavity of the box, so that the preform is compacted until curing is completed.

[0047] The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device in this embodiment of the invention serves as a heating element within the thermosetting device, and simultaneously acts as a female mold structure for preform molding, applying pressure to the preform. The flexible rubber sheet is the female mold; after being heated and expanding, the rubber sheet applies pressure to the preform. Compared to the molding method using a rigid female and male mold combination, or the vacuum bag film pressure method, the flexible rubber sheet pressure produces a better molding effect, resulting in more uniform stress on the preform during curing and better internal product quality. Furthermore, the rubber sheet pressure application is more versatile; the same rubber sheet can be used for molding products of different sizes, eliminating the need to create different female molds based on product dimensions.

[0048] In some implementations, the sidewall 1 can be a ring-shaped frame made of metal, such as aluminum or iron, as long as it can provide sufficient strength support and will not undergo significant deformation at the curing temperature.

[0049] As a preferred implementation method, such as Figure 7 As shown, sidewall 1 includes:

[0050] 11-ring metal profile;

[0051] The first annular rubber 12 is disposed on the top of the annular metal profile 11 and wraps around the upper part of the annular metal profile 11;

[0052] The second annular rubber 13 is located at the bottom of the annular metal profile 11 and wraps around the lower part of the annular metal profile 11.

[0053] The annular metal profile provides mechanical strength to the sidewalls, while the first and second annular rubber rings are flexible and deformable materials. Under heating conditions, they can be pressed more closely onto the first rubber plate, resulting in a tighter seal between the first rubber plate and the lower edge of the housing, improving the vacuuming effect. Simultaneously, the first rubber plate exerts better pressure on the precast body. Furthermore, the second annular rubber ring can better connect and fix to the lower first rubber plate.

[0054] The first rubber sheet and the second annular rubber can be connected by adhesive bonding.

[0055] The top cover 2 and the annular metal profile 11 can be connected by fasteners or glued together.

[0056] In some embodiments, the specific shape of the annular metal profile is not limited and can be adjusted according to the specific shape of the housing it is paired with, so that it can fit over the housing. For example, it can be a rectangular annular, a square annular, an elliptical annular, a circular annular, etc. Preferably, for the fabrication of wing ribs, both the annular metal profile and the housing are rectangular annular, and the shape formed by its four walls is the same as the shape formed by the four side walls of the housing.

[0057] In some embodiments, the first annular rubber 12 and the second annular rubber 13 are matched with the dimensions of the annular metal profile and are simply wrapped or fitted onto the upper and lower parts of the annular metal profile. The specific longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the first annular rubber 12 and the second annular rubber 13 is not limited. Preferably, the longitudinal cross-section of the first annular rubber 12 is U-shaped and the longitudinal cross-section of the second annular rubber 13 is an inverted U-shaped.

[0058] In some embodiments, a plurality of first annular protruding teeth 14 are provided on the upper sidewall of the annular metal profile 11, and a plurality of first annular concave teeth 15 are provided on the inner sidewall of the first annular rubber 12, the positions of the first annular concave teeth 15 and the first annular protruding teeth 14 are corresponding, and the first annular concave teeth 15 are embedded in the first annular protruding teeth 14.

[0059] In some embodiments, a plurality of second annular protruding teeth 16 are provided on the lower sidewall of the annular metal profile 11, and a plurality of second annular concave teeth 17 are provided on the inner sidewall of the second annular rubber 13, the second annular concave teeth 17 are positioned corresponding to the second annular protruding teeth 16, and the second annular concave teeth 17 are embedded in the second annular protruding teeth 16.

[0060] The ring-shaped convex teeth and the ring-shaped concave teeth work together to firmly fix the ring-shaped rubber to the ring-shaped metal profile.

[0061] In some embodiments, a plurality of first annular protrusions and a plurality of second annular protrusions are arranged in parallel, with the first annular protrusions and the second annular protrusions being equally spaced.

[0062] In some embodiments, the number of the first annular protrusions can be selected as 2-5, and the number of the second annular protrusions can be selected as 2-5. In order to ensure the connection strength between the annular metal profile and the annular rubber, while taking into account the processing difficulty, the first annular protrusions and the second annular protrusions are preferably 3.

[0063] In some embodiments, the bottom of the annular metal profile 11 is provided with an annular groove 18, and an annular airbag 19 is provided in the annular groove 18. After the annular airbag 19 expands, it abuts against the second annular rubber 13. The annular airbag can be expanded by inflation or by heating. After expansion, the annular airbag abuts against the second annular rubber, applying pressure to the second annular rubber, causing the second annular rubber to press against the first rubber plate. This further improves the tightness of the seal between the first rubber plate and the lower edge of the box, improves the vacuuming effect, ensures that the first rubber plate applies more uniform pressure to the preform during the curing process, and results in a better product molding effect.

[0064] In some embodiments, an inflation device is also included, which is connected to the annular airbag for inflating the annular airbag.

[0065] In some embodiments, the cover structure further includes a buffer chamber 9, which is located on the outer side of the side wall 1. The side wall 1 has multiple through holes 10, one side of which is connected to a distribution pipe 5, and the other side is connected to the buffer chamber 9. The buffer chamber 9 is connected to the air outlet of the hot air blower. The hot air supplied by the hot air blower first enters the buffer chamber 9 for accumulation, and then is distributed through the multiple through holes 10 in the buffer chamber 9 to different distribution pipes. These different distribution pipes then disperse and deliver the hot air to different parts of the cavity 4 of the cover structure, thereby making the heating in the cover structure more uniform, preventing heat from accumulating in one place while other parts remain unheated, resulting in more uniform heating of the product and a more consistent curing effect.

[0066] In some embodiments, the cover structure may have one or more buffer chambers, which can be adjusted according to the actual length of the thermosetting device. The longer the thermosetting device, the more buffer chambers can be provided. In this embodiment, there are five buffer chambers. The multiple buffer chambers are arranged sequentially along the length of the cover structure.

[0067] In some implementations, each buffer chamber 9 can be connected to a separate hot air blower, or multiple buffer chambers can be connected to the same hot air blower. To ensure heating effect, each buffer chamber 9 is connected to one hot air blower.

[0068] In some embodiments, one end of the diverter 5 is connected to the through hole 10, and the other end is closed. With this configuration, the hot air entering the diverter flows back when it reaches the closed end of the diverter and is sent out through the multiple air outlets 6 provided on the diverter, instead of flowing directly to the other end of the diverter for discharge, thus ensuring the distribution of hot airflow along the length of the diverter.

[0069] In some embodiments, multiple air outlets 6 are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the splitter pipe 5. This ensures a uniform distribution of hot airflow along the length of the splitter pipe.

[0070] In some implementations, each buffer chamber 9 may be connected to 6-12 shunt pipes, preferably 8 shunt pipes in each buffer chamber.

[0071] In some embodiments, multiple diversion pipes 5 are arranged in parallel, and in a direction perpendicular to the length of the diversion pipes 5, the multiple diversion pipes 5 are arranged at equal intervals.

[0072] In some embodiments, the cover structure further includes:

[0073] The second rubber plate 24 is located above the upper cover 2;

[0074] The outer cover 25 is fitted over the second rubber plate 24.

[0075] The second rubber plate 24 can serve as a spare component for the first rubber plate 3. When the first rubber plate is severely damaged, the outer cover can be opened and the second rubber plate 24 can be taken out as a replacement.

[0076] In some embodiments, the upper cover 2 can be a single integral structure or a structure formed by assembling multiple cover pieces. Preferably, as shown below... Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the upper cover 2 includes a left sub-cover 21, multiple middle sub-covers 22, and a right sub-cover 23 arranged sequentially along the length of the cover structure. The lower surface of the left sub-cover 21 connected to the middle sub-cover 22 is provided with a first step surface 26. The upper surface of the right sub-cover 23 connected to the middle sub-cover 22 is provided with a second step surface 27. The upper surface of one side of the middle sub-cover 22 is provided with a third step surface 28. The lower surface of the other side of the middle sub-cover 22 is provided with a fourth step surface 29. The corresponding step surfaces on the adjacent left sub-cover 21, middle sub-cover 22, and right sub-cover 23 form an overlapping structure.

[0077] The top cover is designed as a series of interlocking sub-covers, which facilitates disassembly and maintenance of the internal structure. The sub-covers are joined by stepped surfaces, which improves the connection strength between them.

[0078] In some implementations, the material of the top cover 2 can be one of aluminum, iron, or acrylic.

[0079] In some embodiments, the cover structure further includes an air inlet pipe 30, one end of which is connected to the buffer chamber 9, and the other end of which is adapted to be movably connected to the outlet pipe of the hot air blower. The air inlet pipe between the hot air blower and the cover structure is designed as a segmented plug-in type, which facilitates the disassembly and closure of the cover structure on the thermosetting device housing. When disassembling, the air inlet pipe does not need to be removed; when closing, the air inlet pipe on the cover structure can be quickly connected by simply plugging it into the outlet pipe of the hot air blower.

[0080] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A cover structure for a composite material thermosetting device, characterized in that, include: Sidewall; The top cover is located at the top of the side wall; A first rubber sheet is disposed at the bottom of the side wall, and the top cover, the side wall, and the first rubber sheet form a closed cavity; Multiple diversion pipes are disposed in the cavity. The diversion pipes are used to connect to the air outlet of the hot air blower. The diversion pipes are provided with multiple air outlets, and the air outlets are in communication with the cavity. An air outlet duct, one end of which is connected to the cavity and the other end of which is connected to the outside; The sidewall includes: Ring-shaped metal profile; A first annular rubber is disposed on the top of the annular metal profile and wraps around the upper part of the annular metal profile; The second annular rubber is disposed at the bottom of the annular metal profile and wraps around the lower part of the annular metal profile.

2. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper sidewall of the annular metal profile is provided with a plurality of first annular protruding teeth, and the inner sidewall of the first annular rubber is provided with a plurality of first annular concave teeth, the positions of the first annular concave teeth and the first annular protruding teeth are corresponding, and the first annular concave teeth are embedded in the first annular protruding teeth. The lower sidewall of the annular metal profile is provided with a plurality of second annular protruding teeth, and the inner sidewall of the second annular rubber is provided with a plurality of second annular concave teeth, the second annular concave teeth being positioned corresponding to the second annular protruding teeth, and the second annular concave teeth being embedded in the second annular protruding teeth.

3. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the annular metal profile is provided with an annular groove, and an annular airbag is provided in the annular groove. After the annular airbag expands, it abuts against the second annular rubber.

4. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a buffer chamber located on the outside of the side wall; the side wall has multiple through holes, one side of which is connected to the diversion pipe and the other side is connected to the buffer chamber, and the buffer chamber is connected to the air outlet of the hot air blower.

5. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the diverter is connected to the through hole, and the other end is closed; multiple diverters are arranged in parallel, and in a direction perpendicular to the length of the diverter, multiple diverters are arranged at equal intervals.

6. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the length of the splitter pipe, a plurality of air outlets are arranged at equal intervals.

7. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A second rubber sheet is disposed above the upper cover; The outer cover fits over the second rubber plate.

8. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top cover includes a left sub-cover, multiple middle sub-covers, and a right sub-cover arranged sequentially along the length of the cover structure. The lower surface of the left sub-cover connected to the middle sub-cover has a first stepped surface. The upper surface of the right sub-cover connected to the middle sub-cover has a second stepped surface. The upper surface of one side of the middle sub-cover has a third stepped surface. The lower surface of the other side of the middle sub-cover has a fourth stepped surface. The corresponding stepped surfaces on adjacent left sub-covers, middle sub-covers, and right sub-covers form an overlapping structure.

9. The cover structure of the composite material thermosetting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes an air inlet pipe, one end of which is connected to the buffer chamber, and the other end of which is adapted to be movably connected to the air outlet pipe of the hot air blower.

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